Berenstain Bears Big Spelling Bee Teacher's Guide

Teacher’s Guide Last Revision May 2012

The Berenstain Bears and the Big Spelling Bee by Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain

STORY DESCRIPTION: When it's Spelling Bee time at Bear Country School, the pressure builds up and it's hard to keep cool! Join Sister Bear (and Papa Bear) as they practice . . . and practice . . . and practice for the big day. But will all of this p-r-a-c-t-i-c-e take the fun out of spelling?

SUBJECTS: Social-Emotional Learning, Spelling

GRADE LEVELS: K, 1, 2

USING omBooks IN THE CLASSROOM

Reading Modes Read it Myself • Read the story to your students or have the students read the story themselves • Turn the pages to read at your own pace

Read to Me • Follow along as the story is read by the narrator • Turn the pages to read at your own pace

Auto Play • Follow along as the story is read by a narrator • Pages turn automatically for reading at a controlled pace

Interactive Features • Tap a picture to hear and see the word associated with it • Tap on an individual word to hear it pronounced • Touch and hold a paragraph to hear it read by a narrator • Find the creatures throughout the story! Tap on them to count them.

Copyright © 2012 Oceanhouse Media, Inc. All rights reserved.!! ! 1 Reading Dynamics Large Group • Connect your iOS or Android device to your classroom projector, TV, or computer monitor (see How-To Guide). • Use the Read it Myself mode to read the story aloud, or use the Read to Me or Auto Play modes to present the story to the entire class. • Use the discussion questions on page 3 to guide a whole-class discussion. • Alternatively, if your students can read, project the questions on the screen. Invite students to partner up and discuss the story in pairs. Ask them to record their discussion on the iOS or Android device so you can assess their work.

Small Groups • Gather a small group of students and display the iOS or Android device so all can see. • Use the Read it Myself mode to read the story aloud, or use the Read to Me or Auto Play modes to present the story to the small group. • Use the discussion questions on page 3 to guide a group discussion.

Partners • If you have enough devices in the classroom, invite students to read or listen to the story in pairs. • Students can take turns reading pages, asking questions, and supporting each other. • If your students can read, give them the discussion questions from page 3. Ask them to record their discussion on the iOS or Android device so you can assess their work. • If your students are non-readers, invite the class to come back together as a large group. Guide a class discussion using the discussion questions on page 3.

Independent • If you have enough devices in the classroom, invite students to read or listen to the story independently. • Students can use the interactive features to support their reading, and each student can explore the text and illustrations at an individualized pace. • If your students can read, give them the discussion questions from page 3 and ask them to type or record their responses on the device. • If your students are non-readers, invite the class to come back together as a large group. Guide a class discussion using the discussion questions on page 3. ! !

1. This story is about spelling. Why is spelling important? What tools can you use to help you with your spelling? 2. The book mentions two ways to learn new words. What are they? Can you think of any other ways? What is your favorite way to learn new words? 3. In many stories, one of the characters in the story learns a lesson. Which character learns the biggest lesson in this story? What does Papa Bear learn? How/when does he realize he wants to change? 4. What does vicarious mean? Can you think of a time in your life when you or someone you know was living vicariously through someone else? (If students are having trouble understanding the meaning of the word, provide them with examples that are relevant to them.) 5. Sister Bear decides she does not want to go to the All-Schools Spelling Bee in Big Bear City. Why not? What would you do if you were Sister Bear? Why?

Support students in using the iOS or Android device as a tool to extend their learning. Some ideas:

• Host your own spelling bee: Organize a class spelling bee using your current class spelling words or other words that are appropriate for your students’ spelling levels. Record the spelling bee on your mobile device to upload to your class blog or website, or share with parents via email. While there will only be one winner, it’s important to celebrate everyone who tries! To ease nerves, remind your students that it’s ok to fail, because in failure there is learning. Celebrate the learning!

• Use mobile apps to practice spelling words. There are several apps available, one popular app is Spell Board for iOS.

• Tell a transmedia story: Encourage your students to recall times they or someone they know has lived vicariously through someone else. What happened? Support them in creating a transmedia story about living vicariously using some or all of the following media:

• Produce a movie • Create a podcast • Perform a digital puppet show using a puppet app (such as Sock Puppets on iOS) • Draw or paint scenes to create a slideshow

SHARING YOUR WORK

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